300 PRC with Hornady 230 Gr A-Tips

[Talon1959]

I have a Ruger RPR in 300 PRC. I'm fairly new to precision reloading. Just call meconsistantly "newbie". I wanted to try the 230 grain A-Tips and started to work up a load for it. My buddy has the same rifle and his RPR 300 PRC shoots really well with Hornady brass, 77.2 grains of H-1000, 230 grain A-Tips with a COAL of 3.750.

When I got my RPR the only ammo available was Hornady 225 gr EDL-M. My rifle hated that ammo. I mean 3-4" groups. I then went about getting the things I needed to reload for it.

I'm using Hornady Match Grade FL bushing dies, H-1000, bullets on hand are 230 Gr A-Tips, 220 Gr SMKs, and 220 ELD-M's. I've only loaded the A-Tips so far. I started with 77.2 grains of H-1000, Fed 215 GMM primers, and Hornady brass fired out of my rifle. I would have seated the A-tips .20 off the lands but it's to long for the magazine. I started with just seating them to fit the mag. I've had shot some good 3-5 shot groups with this load but consistently.

I have RL-26 and 4831-SC in my inventory but I wanted to keep working with the H-1000 and the A-Tips for just a bit longer. Time is my enemy as I work 2 jobs.

I would appreciate any advice, pet loads, etc. I consider my self a pilgrim and any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance fellas.

 

[Nealm66]

Couple things I’ve noticed with Atips is they’re thicker so check your bushing size and also seating depth. They a lot longer when seated 20 off the lands

 

[Nealm66]

I guess I should say, if you have a bullet puller, you will notice they could likely use more neck diameter than say a Berger. This helped mine a lot. 3-4” groups to me would mean there’s something wrong

 

[Doghed]

3-4” groups to me would mean there’s something wrong

That's the first thing I thought.
I'd figure out what is happening there before using any more components.

 

[Nealm66]

Definitely. Id reload some cheaper eldm’s until you figure out what’s wrong and then start with the Atips. Hopefully what I said made sense. Not sure why but with the 230’s I’ve been way over max coal with 2 different 300 prc’s. And didn’t realize the crazy neck tension till I pulled some bullets that hadn’t been loaded very long. Using 336 bushings with lapua brass is still a bit on the tight side

 

[Nealm66]

I’d pull the scope and the stock and check everything before I did anything else. Check for fit of the action etc. i found h1000 a little to fast of burn rate but I’m near the coast. If you don’t have a very accurate scale ( to 100ths) I’d suggest a .02 ladder for groups rather than searching for pressure and not worry too much about the velocity. Let the higher bc bullets and accuracy make up for any lack of velocity. Hope this helps

 

[BKA]

No mention if acquired new or used, how many rounds down the barrel?
No mention of distance, where the 3"-4" groups shot at 100 yards, 500 yards or 1000 yards?
Are your optics stout enough for magnum levels of recoil and mounted properly?
If shooting rested from a bench and brand new with good optics and only producing 3"-4" groups with factory ammo at 100 yards, I'd be on the phone with Ruger, something is definitely wrong.

 

[moondog]

Not a valid comparison, don't know your twist, or length. My first barrel didn't like em no matter what I did, sold them.On my 3rd barrel now and I am going to try the 250 A-tips for yuks. Mine liked the 215 Bergers, 3rd barrel does too.

 

[Kurz]

Personally, I would closely examine any rifle shooting like yours. It's possible the folks at Ruger missed something which could stand some fixing. Barrel fitting and crowns come to mind. While the Ruger system is fine for making the competition cost level, we found that making our own barrels from Bartlein blanks made an improvement.





Note the twist rate as suggested by Hornady, 1:8" not the 1:9" which Ruger supplies.

No this may not have a substantial effect on your 3"-4" targets but it is an anomaly. I also watch the altitudes where I have to shoot which does have an effect in stability and BC.

H-1000 comes as a recommended powder, I prefer Re-25, Ramshot Magnum and VVN-565. I also run near the top end of the velocity range. This is a big, long bullets and likes velocity.

Here is an ongoing thread about the load development for the .300 PRC:

https://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/300-prc-load-data.4028057/

 

[DaveTooley]

72.5 grs. 4831SC with 225 ELD-M's shoot's very good in my 1K BR rifle. I have no idea what speed and don't care. 5" 10 shot group for the last target.

 

[memilanuk]

I think if you re-read the original post... the 3-4" groups were with the 225 ELD-M factory ammo. He started reloading *after* that. Not quite sure what kind of groups he got from the 230 A-tips, as that part was a little hard to make sense of"

I've had shot some good 3-5 shot groups with this load but consistently.

 

[Kurz]

I think if you re-read the original post... the 3-4" groups were with the 225 ELD-M factory ammo.

When I got my RPR the only ammo available was Hornady 225 gr EDL-M. My rifle hated that ammo. I mean 3-4" groups. I then went about getting the things I needed to reload for it.

I did read it the first time, carefully. 3"-4" even with factory ammunition these days is an indication that something more is wrong besides the load. I'm not guessing what it might be unless I could do a hands on examination. Trying to determine what's wrong with a rifle while using just the internet and partial information is sometimes ridiculous.

 

[Skeetman59]

Soon as I get home I will load some 220 grain bullets. Thanks Gentlemen!

No mention if acquired new or used, how many rounds down the barrel?
No mention of distance, where the 3"-4" groups shot at 100 yards, 500 yards or 1000 yards?
Are your optics stout enough for magnum levels of recoil and mounted properly?
If shooting rested from a bench and brand new with good optics and only producing 3"-4" groups with factory ammo at 100 yards, I'd be on the phone with Ruger, something is definitely wrong.

I bought the rifle new. All shots at 100 yards. Optic is a new Arken SH4. Everything torqued to spec.

Shot off a Bald Eagle rest with adapter to help the rifle slide in the front rest.

 

[wboggs]

72.5 grs. 4831SC with 225 ELD-M's shoot's very good in my 1K BR rifle. I have no idea what speed and don't care. 5" 10 shot group for the last target.

Dave
Are you shooting a PRC in your 1k BR rifle?

 

[Skeetman59]

I think if you re-read the original post... the 3-4" groups were with the 225 ELD-M factory ammo. He started reloading *after* that. Not quite sure what kind of groups he got from the 230 A-tips, as that part was a little hard to make sense of"

My apologies for not being more concise. I started reloading for the rifle because the factory 225 ELD-M shot terrible. I started reloading with the A-Tips.

 

[Nealm66]

With 3-4” groups with factory 225’s, I’d suspect something is wrong and would try to figure it out before I tried reloading

 

[Nealm66]

1-8 twist is just the rifle they used. 1-9 is suggested minimum.

 

[DaveTooley]

Dave
Are you shooting a PRC in your 1k BR rifle?

Yes. Before there was a PRC 1-9.5
In my hunting rifle I use Rl25 w/212's

 

[wboggs]

You have found the PRC as good as the WSM? What brass?

 

[DaveTooley]

You have found the PRC as good as the WSM? What brass?

PRC has a bit more capacity than we need but it works. My wildcat based on the 8X68 case is perfect. 71 grs of Rl22 and Randy Robinett's 187's